Home For The Holidays (Dirt Track Dogs #6) (5 page)

Annie had to smile at Ella’s PC approach. She took her role as First Mate very seriously.

Aaron took her hand, looking uncomfortable, gave it a quick shake and then dropped it.

“You ever help in the kitchen?” Tana asked. Her tone was testing, like Aaron’s answer would decide whether she bit his head off or let him stay.

“Uh…” He frowned at Annie, looking like a fly caught in a spider’s web. “A little. Used to help Annie at Red Cap.”

Tana’s face split in a wicked grin. “Goooood. Then you can take over washing the dishes and I’ll get some drinks ready for the boys.”

“I’m not exactly here to—”

Tana tossed the dishtowel at him and he was forced to catch it or get slapped in the face with the soggy thing.

“Use the blue soap. It’s better on grease.”

“Uh… well… okay.”

Annie laughed and took her chair back, pulling her Muppet feet up for a rest. So far, so good. Now to see how the males reacted to her brother’s presence. If Aaron could overcome whatever hard feelings he had against shifters, maybe… just maybe, they could have a pleasant Christmas after all.

Chapter Seven

Now you look here…” Beast tossed his blond dreadlocks over his shoulder and shot Blister a rueful glare. “I’ve put
five
of these bastards together in my time. Five, understand? I know what I’m doing.”

He turned back to the crib, squinting at the messed up hinge.

“Yeah, with duct tape,” Blister muttered. “Can’t you just read the instructions this one time? This is where my young will be sleeping. It has to be safe.”

“Screw’s in the wrong place is all,” he murmured, ignoring Blister’s suggestion.

“So the asshole just barges in and starts swinging his dick around?” Diz asked, peering at a set of instructions for the changing table. It was coming along swell, and Blister had to think it was because of the man’s inclination for the neat and orderly. Either that or it was because he had to do everything times three. Three changing tables, three car seats, three times the poopy diapers.

The guys had been updated on the situation with Annie’s brother. Blister gave them the whole story but they still kept asking questions as if they were missing some crucial element. But he didn’t know what to make of it any better than they did. Sometimes assholery couldn’t be explained.

“Speaking of dicks swinging…” Surge snickered from his spot on the floor assembling a shelf. “Did you guys see that video on the internet of the baby elephant swinging his trunk?” He busted up laughing. “He’s all…” He pulled one arm up to his nose and let it hang loose, then started bouncing it around haphazardly. “Looks just like a big ‘ol floppy dick, I swear.”

He started laughing so hard he doubled over unable to catch his breath while the others just stared at him like he’d lost his damn mind.

Blister’s lip curled up. That was his boy, Surge. Finding things to laugh about when the rest of them were busy being serious. He’d had a hard go of things, and so many times his laughter had been brought on as a coping mechanism by his wolf. Now it was genuine and consuming. And Blister loved it even if he had to play cool.

The man was happy. They all were. It was easy to see. The day-to-day stresses might seem like giants sometimes but under the filter of family and love, they were nothing more than ants to be crushed underfoot.

Drake stared hard at Surge, but Blister could see it in his alpha’s eyes too. The happiness there. They were a fucking lucky bunch, they were.

“Okay, I have a confession,” Drake announced. “I saw the elephant. And… well… I laughed. For like, ten minutes, and I’m only telling you this because I’m pretty sure Ella will blab at some point.”

Diz let out a hoot and Beast tossed his screwdriver away, falling on his ass as laughter took him.

“I saw it too,” Beast coughed. “Damn thing was flopping around like crazy.”

“Me too,” Diz said, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. “Damn, Surge.”

“Blister, you see it?” Surge managed through chuckles.

Blister rubbed his smile away with a brush of his fingers. Damn it, yeah. He’d seen the video. Annie showed it to him a few weeks ago, and begged him to do an impression with his um… But hell if he’d tell the guys that.

He cleared his throat, avoiding their gaze as he reached to pick up the bassinet instructions from the floor. “Yeah, it was like that last night, but not nearly as funny.”

“I don’t know,” Drake murmured, going back to his task. “I probably would’ve enjoyed this little showdown between you and a human. Coulda grabbed some popcorn and laid some money down on ya.”

Blister snorted. “We were each out for blood. Someone would’ve died.” The idea left him cold as it had last night. “Actually, it wasn’t funny at all. I could’ve hurt my mate badly by killing her brother.”

An awkward silence hung in the room.

“You’re right, Blister.” Beast’s tone was quiet. Thoughtful. “It could have ended very badly. But what I can’t figure out is why he fought you even after you turned.”

Blister shook his head. “Don’t know. Really don’t. Seemed to know about shifters though. Seemed to hate them, really. He was more pissed when I changed instead of afraid.”

Beast frowned in thought.

“What a fucking weirdo,” Surge muttered, before pausing to consider something. “Then again, we all kind of are. So maybe he fits in.”

A knock on the nursery door came as Gracie pushed inside followed by Tana who carried a tray of drinks.

“Hey, baby,” Surge smiled up at her and Tana returned his grin as she set the tray on the already constructed dresser.

“You talking to me, Daddy? Or was that for mama again?”

He reached for her, tickling her belly and drawing happy giggles from her. “Your mommy,” he said, winking. “When I’m talking to you, I call you monster.”

“Ha!” she scoffed, offended. “You do
not
. You call me princess.”

“I do?” He pretended to not remember. “You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Gracie shook her head, exasperated. Then she looked over at Drake. “Uncle Alpha, you need to watch this one. He’s losing his memory.”

Drake nodded, commiserating with the little female bobcat. “Must be his old age. Be careful Grace. You’re getting old too. What are you, four now?”

“No way! I’m almost-five-years-old today.” She shook her head and ran from the room to play while the adults chuckled.

“We have a visitor,” Tana whispered when it was all clear.

Blister frowned. “Who?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Who do you think?”

Blister stood, and so did Beast and Diz. The idea of the shifter hater being in the house with all the mates left him feeling scattered. They should be safe in his home. And what about Annie? Was her brother saying awful things to her again? He needed to get in there and monitor the situation.

“Whoa, whoa.” Tana held both hands up and positioned herself in front of the door. “It’s okay. So far, he’s behaving.”

“But he’s in there with our mates and young,” Diz argued.

“Yeah,” Beast agreed. “We haven’t figured him out yet. The dick could be dangerous.”

Tana tipped her head to the side, her curly hair meeting her shoulder. “And your mate is doing a fine job of putting him in his place. And of course, there’s Gracie. She got to him already.”

Surge chuckled. “That’s my girl.”

Blister was still on edge, and so were the others, he could tell.

“Well, what’s he doing?” Drake asked.

Tana pressed her lips together, looking like she was trying to suppress a grin. “Washing dishes.”

“He’s…” Blister couldn’t picture the angry man from the night before doing something so mundane in a kitchen full of people he claimed to have no tolerance for. “He’s doing dishes?”

“Mm hm. We’ve got this covered, alright. No more testosterone needed. I just wanted to let you all know so no one went wolfy on him. M’kay?”

Blister looked at the guys, all of them frowning but considering Tana’s words.

“Well…” Drake shrugged. “We have a lot of work to do in here so…”

“Yeah,” Surge agreed. “Go on, baby. We’ll just… you know… work and shit.”

Tana gave them a grin and then left, closing the door behind her.

Seconds ticked by as they each stood, contemplating the human situation.

“I’m thinking,” Drake murmured. “That if we read those damn annoying instructions, we can get this shit done in record time and get out there with our mates.”

Four nodding heads agreed with him.

“What do you say boys?”

“Hell yes,” Surge boomed. “I want out there so I can attach myself to her hip and make sure that asshole knows not to mess with her.”

“Ditto,” Beast said, his dreads swinging with his nod.

“I’d like to say, I never had issue with reading the instruction in the first place,” Diz announced. “But I’m in agreement with what Surge said.”

“Yeah.” Blister nodded. He needed to get out there with Annie. And double win, the boys would put his young’s furniture together the right way.

Drake collected the booklets and passed them out to the guys, who immediately went to reading them.

“Alright, dogs.” He sighed. “Let’s do this.”

Chapter Eight

Blister watched from the corner of the kitchen. The couples were paired up and there was a lot of subtle dick swinging happening. But he had to give the guys credit. They were cordial. In fact, Surge had even shared a few laughs with Annie’s brother. Or rather, Surge had laughed while Aaron looked utterly confused.

Point was, they were giving the human every chance to be decent. And so far, he was.

If decent was looking at them all like he was waiting for one of them to take a literal hunk out of his thigh, dip it in ketchup, and start eating it like a McNugget.

And of course they were all avoiding the awkward line of conversation that might explain his nine year absence. But whatever. Maybe they didn’t want to know why he’d left Annie. Maybe they were all better off.

She sidled up beside Blister, her hand curling around his bicep. But he wanted her closer. Tucking his arm around her, he pulled her tight against his side and dropped a kiss on her temple.

“How are you feeling, mate?”

“Fine. Still have Muppet feet. Destiny says they’ll be like this from here on out, until I deliver.”

He looked at her swollen toes. “They’re kinda cute.”

She snorted. “Yeah right.”

“Everything about you is cute,” he said, giving her a private smile. But his instincts told him they were being watched.

He lifted his gaze to find her brother staring hard at them, and completely ignoring whatever Surge was going on about.

Annie’s soft giggle pulled his attention back to her as she raised up and sweetly kissed his marred cheek. Damn. Sweet, soft mate. Made his insides like jelly.

“Did you double check everything the boys built for our baby?”

“Yes. It’s all safe.”

“Good. We can decorate next week and wash up all those newborn clothes. Will you help me?”

“Absolutely, angel.” God, she could ask him to swallow a five pound slug and he’d do it. She owned him.

“Thank you.” She sighed, resting her head on his chest, and he reached up to drag his hands through her curls.

Gracie stumbled into the kitchen, yawning. “Artie fell asleep,” she announced. “Right there on the stairs like a slinky that just stopped.”

“Well,” Beast said, bumping the tip of Punk’s nose with his finger. “I guess that’s our cue to get going.”

“Yep,” she agreed. “You get Artie and I’ll help clean up.”

He pushed through the kitchen door, giving Gracie’s hair a tousle. She rubbed her eyes with her closed fists. “How many days ‘til Christmas?” she mumbled.

“Twenty one,” Blister answered. He knew exactly.

She groaned. “How am I supposed to be good for twenty-one whole days? It’s getting to be too much. Santa has requirements that I just can’t meet.”

“And that’s our cue,” Tana said, eyeing Surge.

He nodded. “Yeah, the little one gets hissy when she’s tired.” He turned back to Aaron. “We’ll see you at the Christmas parade, brother?”

Aaron frowned, but Surge clapped him on the shoulder before turning to scoop Gracie into his arms.

“Annie says you used to race. You still have your car? I bet we could get you entered to ride it in the line up. We have extra lights and sh… crap.” Surge pressed Gracie’s head against his shoulder and she murmured, “Daddy, Santa’s gonna bring you soap for your mouth if you don’t watch it.”

“I know, baby. But me and Santa worked out a deal a lot of years ago. It’s okay.”

“I need to make a deal with him too.” Her voice was fading and her eyes had drifted closed.

“Soon enough, princess.”

“Sold my car before I left,” Aaron grunted. “I don’t race anymore.”

“Huh.” Surge raised an eyebrow. “Well, stick around and I’m betting we can change that.”

Aaron looked away, and Blister could see conflicting emotions playing over his features.

Punk reached around Annie’s brother to grab her purse off the counter. “See ya around, asshole.”

“Later, wolf,” he replied.

She laughed, and so did the others. “Oh, I’m human. Didn’t you know?”

Aaron’s eyebrows flew up.

“Yeah,” she laughed. “One hundred percent fucking human, here. And I hate you waaaay more than the others. Chew on that next time you wanna be all humans rule, shifters drool.” She winked, and turned to wave bye to the others.

Aaron watched her walk away. He had the look of someone whose core beliefs had been shaken. It was an echo of the same thing Blister had observed for hours. His family was proving the bastard wrong by doing nothing more than being real.

Aaron looked at Surge and Gracie.

“Bobcat,” Surge explained, pointing to the little female asleep on his shoulder. “But I’m definitely wolf.”

“Panther,” Tana said, reintroducing herself to the human.

“Wolves here,” Drake added, linking his arm over Ella’s shoulders.

“Bobcat,” Destiny murmured, watching him intently. Blister wondered for a moment if she’d seen this in one of her visions. Destiny’s premonitions had guided the pack in the right direction more than once since she’d adopted her powers and became an Elder.

“Wolf,” Diz said, bouncing one of his squeaky triplets in his baby carrier until the female settled.

Aaron swallowed hard. “And Beast?”

“Wolf,” Drake said.

Aaron squinted, tilting his head. “Your pack is… diverse. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

The way he said that, Blister wondered just how many packs the man had encountered. And how. And why.

“It is,” Drake agreed. “We’re unique. A hybrid pack, we like to call it.”

“A hybrid pack.”

Drake nodded. “You seem to know a lot about our kind.”

Aaron tipped his head, noncommittal, and his gaze went to Annie. “I guess you could say I’ve had some experience with changers.”

“You call them changers instead of shifters. You come up with that on your own?”

Drake was baiting him for info, but Aaron either didn’t care or was too baffled by the evening to censor his words.

“No. Not me. The group I was with in Memphis.”

Annie straightened. “You’ve been in Memphis all this time?”

“Just the last few years.”

“And I’m guessing those experiences you speak of weren’t good ones,” Drake mused.

Aaron’s expression turned grim.

“Alright, then.” Drake nodded. “We’ll give you time to come to your own conclusions about us. I can vouch for Blister but that won’t mean anything to you right now. Trust your sister though. She has a good head on her shoulders. And friends like Punk and the other mates who would gleefully castrate any male that hurt her. She’s safe with us. And so are you, as long as you don’t try to harm any of us.” He strolled forward, offering Aaron his hand. “You’re welcome here.”

Aaron shook it, looking all out of sorts. Like he’d stepped into some alternate reality and was looking for a hidden portal to take him back to his own world.

“Alright,” Drake called. “We’re out.”

“Us too,” Diz said, collecting his brood and strapping them in their infant seats.

“Yep,” Surge murmured. “Both my baby girls are looking tired.” He winked at Tana.

“Thanks for the help today.” Annie smiled at their friends. “We appreciate it.”

“Not a problem,” Drake said, smiling back. “You take it easy until that little one is ready to come out.” He nodded at Blister while Ella, Tana, and Destiny each took turns hugging Annie.

They watched everyone leave and then there was only Aaron left.

Blister eyed him while Annie picked up what little mess was left in the kitchen. He ran a hand through his curly blond hair and blew out a breath that sounded like he’d been holding it for a century.

“How far along are you?” Aaron’s murmured question was barely more than a breath.

“Thirty-seven weeks.” Annie came back to stand beside Blister. “I’m due the twenty third.”

“A-a Christmas baby.”

Annie nodded, grabbing Blister’s hand and winding her fingers through his. “The most perfect Christmas present.”

“And… you’re happy like this?” His brow furrowed, and Blister could see that Aaron did care for Annie. Whatever last night was, it was clear he wanted her well.

“I am.” She let out a little laugh. “I really am. And it’s a big deal Aaron, because for so long, I wasn’t. I was sad and lonely, going through life on auto-pilot. Blister changed that for me. And he’s so good to me, brother.”

Blister shifted on his feet, uncomfortable. He could feel the tips of his ears burning with his mate’s praise.

“He treats me like a queen. He makes me feel so special, and I know he’ll do the same for our little one.”

Aaron met Blister’s gaze and it was like a clash of truth and disbelief, the two things warring right there in one expression.

“You love her?” he ground out.

Blister nodded, as sure of his answer as the day he’d marked her. “Fiercely.”

Aaron looked away, jamming his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I need to think,” he said. “I’m staying at old man Hubbard’s place at the edge of town if you need me.”

“Okay.” Annie nodded.

And then her brother was walking away, and Blister still didn’t know where the man stood, or if he was a danger to his family.

Time. Drake said they’d give him time. And since it was Christmas, Blister guessed he could do the same for the man.